What’s Your Productivity Rhythm?

Do you know what your most productive time of day is? For me it’s those early morning hours when I feel fresh and energized. In the early hours my body is optimized for brain work.

According to science, this early morning brain time is based upon what’s called the circadian rhythm. The circadian rhythm is what wakes us up in the morning and makes us sleepy in the evening. This circadian rhythm is defined by clear patterns of brain wave activity, hormone production, cell regeneration and other biological activities.

This is a powerful rhythm that is set by daylight and darkness. Disruption of these natural rhythms usually have a negative effect in the short term. If you have done much traveling, then you have probably experienced the condition known as jet lag, which often brings fatigue, disorientation, and insomnia. This is one example of what happens when our circadian rhythm becomes distorted.

Sleep also has a powerful impact on our productivity. For example, without enough sleep, it’s harder to concentrate and retain new material. However, when you are well rested, learning new material becomes much easier.

Late-night cramming often works for college students. However, they are highly unlikely to remember the material much longer after the test. It’s simply a brain dump without a cause.

Some evidence also shows that the quality of sleep after a lesson may influence how well you retain what you learned.

The circadian rhythm also has a large influence on your learning effectiveness throughout the day. You will find that different activities are performed best at different times of the day.

For example, the early morning hours are prime time for brain work. Most people find their brain to be more alert and creative during these morning hours.

Around lunchtime, your body will naturally want a short power nap. This typically occurs somewhere between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. A short 30 minute nap during this time can do wonders for your overall productivity.

You will receive another boost in productivity later in the afternoon from around 1p.m. to 8 p.m. This time period is optimal for brain work as well as physical activity. The afternoon hours are prime time for a variety of physical activities.

As the evening progresses, your body will begin preparing for sleep. This occurs around 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., depending on the person. During this time, your body temperature drops and sleep hormones increase.

In addition to the circadian rhythm, there is also a ninety-minute ultradian rhythm that also affects your productivity and learning performance.

The brain, in general, works on a ninety-minute cycle of altertness and rest. This means that you feel alert for about seventy minutes, and then your alertness drops for about twenty minutes.

What does this mean for productivity junkies like you and me? For optimum productivity, we should work in 60-70 minute bursts and then take a 20 minute break in preparation for our next burst of activity.

By working with your natural cycles of productivity, you will find yourself accomplishing much more than if you tried to overwork yourself against them.

Prolonged mental activity without breaks drains your brain’s neurotransmitters and glucose, which are both key to learning and recall.

Research supports regular breaks during learning and all other brain work.

Keep in mind that if you live in a more extreme climate or on a different work schedule, your body may have a slightly different circadian rhythm.

So, what’s your productivity rhythm?